ADVOCACY & CAMPAIGNS
HAFAA CALLS ON THE ATO TO REVIEW TAX DEDUCTIONS FOR FITNESS PROFESSIONALS
The Health and Fitness Association of Australia has formally raised concerns with the Australian Taxation Office regarding the treatment of work-related tax deductions for fitness professionals. HAFAA is seeking public consultation on the ATO’s current guidance around deductions for genuine, occupation-specific expenses, including sports-specific footwear, compulsory activewear, and safety-related items such as custom-fitted sports bras. These expenses are fundamental to performing fitness work safely and effectively, yet current guidance often treats them as ordinary clothing rather than recognising their occupational and safety function.
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FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN – FAILING THE FITNESS INDUSTRY
Thanks to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by HAFAA, we have discovered that the Fair Work Ombudsman was contacted by workers in the fitness industry 6,267 times over the last 5 years. That’s 14.28% of the entire industry’s workforce reaching out for help or advice. But here’s the concerning part: Only 408 of these were escalated to formal Requests for Assistance (RFAs) - a mere 6.5%. Of those, just 80 were investigated! That’s only 1.3% of all contacts! For an industry employing nearly 43,900 people, these figures show how few cases actually receive further attention, raising serious questions about the system’s ability to support workers. HAFAA is containing to advocate for fitness industry workers by collecting comparable data, escalating policy reform and fighting to ensure workers in our industry are prioritised and protected. ​​​​
APPLICATION TO VARY THE FITNESS AWARD
If you are familiar with the Fitness Industry Award, you may be aware that it is structured in a way that provides little benefit to people working in the main roles within the fitness industry - group fitness instructors and personal trainers. In fact, there are several clauses that actively make things worse for you. We would bring your attention specifically to clauses 12.3(b) - Minimum engagement and 19.3(b) Break between shifts. We also feel that Schedule B —Summary of Hourly Rates of Pay is also appalling.
It is important that when we represent our members, we do so after full consultation. Therefore, members will soon receive communication from us for you to voice your concerns and provide your feedback on our industry's award. We will then open this consultation to the wider industry.
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FAIR WORK COMMISSION RULES IN FAVOUR OF FITNESS PROFESSIONALS
HAFAA has represented members and the wider Fitness Industry alongside the United Workers Union by providing Witness Statements and Testimony to prevent a proposed change to the Fitness Industry Award 2020, which would have seen the span of hours that Fitness Professionals can work across split shifts increased to 13 hours per day. We oppose this change as we believe working 13 hour split shifts (every day!) is detrimental to the working-lives, personal-lives and health & wellbeing of employees in the Fitness Industry. The Commission's ruled in our favour and this proposed amendment did not pass. Thank you to the H.A.F.A.A members who have provided testimony for this hearing.
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